The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Dec 2011
Short ragweed pollen triggers allergic inflammation through Toll-like receptor 4-dependent thymic stromal lymphopoietin/OX40 ligand/OX40 signaling pathways.
Allergic diseases affect a large population. Pollen, an ubiquitous allergen, is the trigger of seasonal rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma, as well as an exacerbating factor of atopic dermatitis. However, the underlying mechanism by which pollen induces thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP)-triggered allergic inflammation through epithelial innate immunity is largely unknown. ⋯ For the first time, we have shown that SRW pollen, acting as a functional TLR4 agonist, initiates TLR4-dependent TSLP/OX40L/OX40 signaling, which triggers T(H)2-dominant allergic inflammation. These findings shed light on the understanding of mucosal epithelial innate immunity and create new therapeutic targets to cure allergic diseases.